Fourteen Years of Not Selling Out
So tonight, wherever you are and whatever's in your glass — raise it. We made it fourteen years. That deserves at least a few pours.
Fourteen years ago today, I published the first post on BourbonBanter.com. It was short. It was earnest. I had no idea what I was getting into.
Here's what I've learned since then: keeping a content website alive for 14 years isn't normal. Most sites don't make it to five. The ones that do are usually backed by money, a marketing team, or some kind of brand arrangement I didn't have. We made it this far on a steady supply of whiskey, stubbornness, and people who actually give a damn about whiskey and community.
And in a world drowning in clickbait, sponsored everything, and influencers who care more about their follower count than what's actually in the glass — that matters. Bourbon & Banter has always been about the whiskey, the people, and the conversation. No algorithmic pandering. No chasing trends. Just honest content from people who love this stuff. That's rare. I don't take it for granted.
Speaking of which — the contributors. Past and present, every single one of you. Without the writers, reviewers, and voices who showed up and put words on this page, Bourbon & Banter would've gone quiet years ago. You kept this place alive when I was running out of hours in the day. You did it because you believed in what we were building, not because there was a big payday waiting. That kind of dedication is everything. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And then there's you — the readers, the members, the people who comment, share, and banter in the best possible way. Whether you're a Drinking Class member or a lurker, you turned a bourbon blog into a community. You showed up, stayed, and made this place worth building. I didn't do that. You did. And I'm more grateful than I probably say often enough.
You've been reading for free for a while, and honestly, that's fine. But if Bourbon & Banter has ever made your day better, helped you find a great bottle, or given you something worth talking about — consider buying us a round. A Drinking Class membership keeps this place alive and gets you a lot more of what you already like. Fair trade.
So tonight, wherever you are and whatever's in your glass — raise it. We made it fourteen years. That deserves at least a few pours.
One more thing: mark your calendars for July 13th. That's when we celebrate the 15th anniversary of Bourbon & Banter's founding — and we're going to do it right. Details coming soon. Start thinking about what you want in your glass.
Here's to the next chapter.
Cheers,
~ Pops 🥃